1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an arrangement for providing communication and positioning for a guidance installation for guiding mobile units, for example in the form of carriages in a track system. The positioning is intended to occur with great accuracy, for example with the accuracy of approximately one meter. A respective mobile unit and track stations placed along the track system comprise first and respectively second equipment for the communication and positioning.
2. Discussion of the Background
Guidance systems for track systems for collective traffic of the type In question today cost an estimated 10 million crowns/kilometer and the wages of the carriage drivers are more than half of the operating costs. It is thus of interest to provide solutions for positioning and communication for guidance systems which will make it possible to have driverless carriages, In connection with this, it has been discussed that a data bus will be installed along the track and two-way short-range communication units will be installed in a number of about 1/m. The intention is here to provide identity and certain logic information at distances of one decimeter. A respective carriage is thus positioned every meter and is given certain capabilities for communicating.
Existing solutions for positioning and communication are relatively primitive. There are two types of system in this respect. The first system operates with fixed blocks and the second system operates with moving blocks. Fixed blocks involve the track being divided up into sections where only one train unit is allowed at a time. A collector shoe which shortcircuits two metal rails constitutes a detector. Such systems are supplied and are obtainable on the market. The principle with moving blocks involves the train being surrounded by a safety area within which no other trains are allowed.